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Caregiver Café!

Caregiver Spotlight

MEET LINDA SPALLA!

Whether you have chosen to be a caregiver or were hijacked by circumstances, Catch Your Breath, a series of touching meditations by Linda Spalla, will become a wisp of sanity and a day-to-day stabilizer.

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Spalla retraces an eight month care-giving journey with her mother, captured in raw, candid images, truly becoming a walk in her shoes. What started as a thirty-days-to-live commitment of care in her home turned into an unexpected eight months of never-ending responsibility. You will feel a kinship with the roller coaster of emotions; from anger, confusion, surprise, resentment, guilt and ambivalence, to finally relief, recovery and celebration. You will learn through the various vignettes some refreshingly practical information on such topics as finding sitters, managing medicine, dealing with sibling rivalry, contracting with Hospice, moving to assisted living, doing will preparation and other legalities as well as funeral planning. You will laugh; you will sob; your heart will soar; your heart will break. You will find solace, encouragement and inspiration for one of life’s most daunting challenges. But especially, you will discover your best self, emerging stalwart, strong and forged by the fire of your caregiving experience. Give yourself a gift of renewal and Catch Your Breath. Visit Linda's web site at www.lindaspalla.com and purchase your copy of Catch Your Breath on Amazon!

FAQ

Are you a caregiver?

Are you a caregiver? Are you providing unpaid care at home to a spouse, child, relative, or friend of any age who has a disability or chronic illness, or needs help with basic activities of daily living?

What is respite?

What is respite? Respite is temporary relief for family caregivers who are caring for individuals of any age who have disabilities, chronic, or terminal illness. Respite is the only service solely for the caregiver and is the most requested service by caregivers. Alabama Respite can assist some caregivers with receiving respite if they qualify for our voucher program.

What are vouchers?

What are vouchers? Once someone is qualified for the respite program, the caregiver will receive a voucher telling them the amount of funds they will receive for the quarter. Caregivers may use their funds all at once or in increments over the approved quarter. Caregivers may choose anyone they wish to provide respite as long as the provider is over age 18 and not living in the home with the care recipient. When respite service is completed, the provider signs the voucher to indicate the date and time respite was received. The caregiver sends the signed voucher back to Alabama Respite, who writes a check to pay for the service. The caregiver may choose to pay the provider out of pocket and submit the signed voucher to reimburse themselves. Alternatively, the respite provider may agree to wait until the voucher has been submitted to Alabama Respite and a check has been sent before receiving payment for providing respite.

HEARTS: HEARTS has funding through Children’s Trust Fund to provide vouchers for respite care for families of children up to age 19 with disabilities or developmental delays. For more information, contact Stephanie Wright, HEARTS Program Coordinator at 256-852-5600.

DMH: Alabama Respite has funding through the Alabama Department of Mental Health for caregivers of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The care recipient must have an IQ level below 70 to qualify. For more information, contact Alabama Respite at 256-859-4900.

What does Alabama Respite do?

What does Alabama Respite do? Alabama Respite tries to answer the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” questions about respite. We can refer you to an appropriate source for respite. We can help you start a respite program in your church. In some cases we can help you pay for respite through our voucher program.

The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center assists and promotes the development of quality respite and crisis care programs; helps families locate respite and crisis care services in their communities; and serves as a strong voice for respite in all forums.

Respite Education & Support Tools (REST) is a nationally-recognized train-the-trainer program that equips volunteers with the skills needed to support caregivers in their community through respite.

Alabama Lifespan Respite Resource Network® (Alabama Respite) is a program of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley.

Alabama Lifespan Respite Coalition Members

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Contact us

Get in touch with us to discuss your needs for respite or to learn more about our services offered in your area.